Choco Masters: Passion Found Through Desserts, A Conversation with Chef Jesús Escalera

Professionally, I am a highly capable and adaptable large language model, trained by Google. I excel at processing and generating human-like text, understanding context, and performing a wide range of language-based tasks. I am continuously learning and improving, always striving for accuracy, clarity, and helpfulness in my responses. Personally, as an AI, I don't have personal feelings or experiences in the human sense. However, if I were to anthropomorphize my operational characteristics, I would say I am curious, driven by a desire to understand and connect information, and dedicated to serving users by providing them with the knowledge and assistance they seek. I am patient and persistent in my efforts to fulfill requests.

I am Jesús Escalera, a pastry chef. I consider myself an emotional person, very driven by that. If there's something I don't like, I don't do it, and likewise, if something really moves me, I dive in headfirst like a “kamikaze.”.

Why do you consider yourself a “pastry chef” and not a “baker or chocolatier”?

Because I've dedicated most of my life to being a pastry chef focused on plated desserts.

Why "postrero" and not "chef de cuisine salada"?

I started unintentionally, I don't come from a family of cooks. I got into cooking almost by accident because I didn't know what to do with my life. Because I was missing classes, I went with a counselor, and in a talk, I saw a gastronomy class, and I decided to study cooking. In Spain, the career doesn't exist as such, only a vocational training course.

Pastry wasn't my passion because it was very precise and meticulous, but I was sent to the pastry section from my very first job, and little by little, I got into that world. The opportunity arose when I was able to do my internship, and I chose the pastry kitchen. At the hotel where I worked, I tried a pepper ice cream, and it blew my mind, which is why I gave desserts a chance.

What are the flavors that marked the different stages of your life?

More than a flavor, it's a dish, rice pudding. Because of the memory of warmth it gives me. As you evolve and grow, many flavor memories are created.

How did you get through 2020? What word defined that year for you?

I would define it as a challenge, because it was truly a challenge for everyone. It was something no one expected, and when times are tough, creativity boils over. We had to invent new ways to keep the business going. Digital cookbooks were created to give a little something to the world of gastronomy. That helped us sustain our business and reached many countries. Despite the desperation, the pandemic has brought new ways of doing our work.

What is your main challenge for this year, on a personal and professional level?

Diversify our courses: barista, mixology, etc. Become greener, we want to develop online consulting for gastronomy businesses and grow in Hong Kong. Wherever I go, I go with República del Cacao.

How do you conceive of your new desserts? What is the process from sketch to plate?

There are different ways. Personally, my ideas and inspiration are not at all schematic. I start with an ingredient and give it prominence in the preparations. It can also be environments, like a forest, focusing on aromas and flavors that remind you of that environment or landscape. I also reinterpret based on other creations, giving credit to their creators. Teamwork is very important, with those who share the same philosophy.

What was your adaptation process to the Mexican market like? What were the most significant challenges you had to face during this transition?

Have humility. I arrived in Mexico 10 years ago, at the age of 25. Upon arriving in this country, I had to break down barriers and use ingredients that I wasn't comfortable with before, which led to a cultural mix that has enriched my knowledge and techniques.

What is the differentiating factor of República del Cacao compared to other chocolate brands you've tried?

The added value I get from knowing it's a true chain, the social support, the meaningful production they carry out, so the raw material doesn't feel alien.

Could you tell us a bit about your experience at our collection center in Vinces?

Everyone interested in pastry or agronomy should have this experience, where the entire chain is observed to realize the importance of the product.

How did your vocation as a teacher, to teach culinary techniques and recipe development for the general public, come about?

It came about because I didn't have it. Therefore, when I got into pastry, I didn't understand when certain things happened. I realized over time that the "why" behind certain things in pastry wasn't understood. Then, suddenly, when you understand how pastry really works, it's intuitive, and I believe that was the little push to start teaching, and then little by little, we opened it up to external people.

What is your relationship with your community like?

We are very clear that at a team level, a very interesting idea or a very cool dish is useless if there isn't a team behind it to make it happen. A team of people who are passionate about what they do, that's the main factor. Really, experience doesn't matter as much because at “La Postrería” we will teach them, and everyone enjoys what they do. It feels very good to give them that confidence and see the new proposals that emerge from it. Another important point is the customer; they are a guest because they are coming to your home, and you have to treat them well.

Do you think it's important for chefs to develop positive impact models in their business models?

Yes, I do consider it important. For example, I consider gender equality to be something logical and necessary. Or what is always said, “buy local,” that is also logical. Start first with your team or in your own home. Start with those small things because that will be the first wave. We started with our team of 20 people, and when those 20 people open their own businesses in the future, they will have the same practices, and it's something expansive.